Improvement in seed and grain drills



W- P. PENN".-

Seed-Dropper.

Patented June 28, 1864.

N PETERS, FHOTO LITHDGRAPHER WASHINGTO UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

W. P. PENN, OF BELLEVILLE, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN SEED AND GRAIN DRILLS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 43,335, dated June 28, 1864.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WORDEN P. PENN, of Belleville, in the county of St. Clair and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Seeding-Machines; and 1 do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being bad to the annexed drawings, making part of this specification, in Which Figure 1 is a back elevation of the hopperbox. Fig. 2 is a view of the hopper-box turned bottom side up; and Fig. 3 is a transverse section through said hopper-box, each figure showing a portion ofthe operative parts, to be hereinafter described.

, The frame, wheels, axle, tongue,draft-bars, and flukes of my improved machine are such as are generally used in the manufacture of seed-drills. They do not constitute any part of this invention, and are not therefore shown upon the drawings, nor will they be especially described in this specification.

The invention forming the subj ect-matter of this application is confined to a novel construction, combination, and arrangement of the mechanical devices constituting the bottom and operative parts of the seeding-hopper by which it is adapted to seed-drillin g or corn-plantin g.

The following description of my invention will enable any one skilled in the arts to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Similar letters of reference represent corresponding parts of the different figures in the drawings annexed.

In the drawings, A represents a hopperbox, made in the form of a tray, the bottom whereofis to be made of sheet metal, through, which an oblong rectangular slot-hole, o, is made. In the bottom ofthe hopper is arranged, in suitable guides or bearings, a metal regulating-slide, into which rectangular slot-holes a: are cut to correspond in form with those out in the bottom of the hopper. This regulatingslide is to be adjusted by means ofa screw, (not shown in the drawings,) by which the flow of grain through the hopper is regulated. Athwart the holes cut in the bottom of the hopper there work shutoff valves cc,arranged in and supported by a bearing-piece, B, secured against the bottom of the box in the manner shown. The out ends of these valves are united on a rod, a, which is supported in the lower ends of a fork-lever, h, fixed on fulcrumsj. Through the agency of said lever the said shutoff valves are operated by the attendant-that is to say, they are opened or closed, fully or partially, whenever it is desirable to stop, start, or modify the flow of seed through the hole 1). In the hopper, directly over the outlets, a rock-shaft, E, is arranged in suitable bearings made in the ends of the hopper-box, as shown. To the under side of this rock-shaft forked-shaped arms or feeders F are arranged so as to vibrate over the outlets for the purpose of facilitating the flow of seed from the hopper. Said forked-shaped feeders should be made flat, and arranged in the rock-shaft with thin flat surfaces at an oblique angle with the axis of the said shaft, which I think induces greater efficiency. Said rock-shaft receives its motion through the agency of a cam, crank, or any other device commonly used for such purposes, and which can be conveniently applied to some working part of the machine which will give the requisite movement.

The drawings show but two outlets in the bottom of the hopper; but in the manufacture of working machines it is of course designedto make the hopper of sufficient length to give room for as many outlets as it is intended to sow drills, making the machine in this respect after the ordinary manner of constructing seed-drills.

Thus far I have described the invention only as an improvement in seed-drills; but it must be remembered that it is also adapted to plant corn; and to use it for this purpose no other alteration is necessary than simply to disconnect all of the cut-ofi' slides 0 but two, adjust the slide D to regulate the number of kernels to be dropped in each hill, and to tie up or disconnect all of the flukes but two, when the machine is ready to plant corn.

I am aware that the devices herein described, considered by themselves and without regard to their combination and relation to each other and the uses to which they are applied, are not new, nor do I claim them as such but What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

Setting the feeders F at an oblique angle with the axis of the rock-shaft E, combined with the hopper-box for the purpose of insuring a more uniform flow of seed, as set forth.

V W. P. PENN. Witnesses: JOHN H. MAYOR, JAS. J. PERRYMAN. 

